1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for transmitting print data and a method thereof. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an apparatus for transmitting print data using multiple virtual connections and a method thereof which can transmit data at a high speed by forming at least one virtual connection between a host and a printing device when a large amount of print data is transmitted to the printing device through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional print data transmitting apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional print data transmitting apparatus includes a host 5 and a printing device 10. The host and the printing device 10 are connected to each other through a network.
The host 5 includes an application program storage 1, a printing driver part 2, a port monitor 3, and a first network driver part 4. The printing device 10 includes a printing part 6, a printing server 7, a storage 8 and a second network driver part 9.
After executing an application program stored in the application program storage 1, a user requests a printing operation based on a printing function of the application program being executed. The application program indicates a program provided with a printing function such as Microsoft Word, for example.
The printing driver part 2 converts print data requested by the user into content that can be recognized by the printer 10. To transmit the print data converted by the printing driver part 2 to the printer 10, the port monitor 3 and the printing server 7 of the printer 10 establish one connection, and then transmit the print data. After the transmission of the print data is completed, the connection between the port monitor 3 and the printing server 7 is terminated. In FIG. 1, a dotted line connecting the port monitor 3 and the printing server 7 denotes a virtual connection, and the number of connections is one.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of another conventional print data transmitting apparatus. Referring to FIG. 2, this conventional print data transmitting apparatus includes a host 15 and a printer 20, and the host 15 and the printer 20 are connected through a network.
The host 15 includes a first storage 11, a printing-dedicated program storage 12, and a first network driver part 13. The printer 20 includes a printing part 16, a printing server 17, a second storage 18 and a second network driver part 19.
The user may request a printing operation using the printing-dedicated program instead of a general application program having a printing function. When using the printing-dedicated program, the print data is directly transmitted to the printing server 17 of the printer 20 without any conversion of the print data. Referring back to FIG. 2, a dotted line connecting the printing-dedicated program storage 12 and the printing server 17 denotes a virtual connection, and the number of connections is one.
A Universal Plug and Play (UpnP) control device program or an Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) client program may be used as the printing-dedicated program. A general Line Printer Request/Line Printer Daemon (LPR/LPD) server or a Raw Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) server may be used as the printing server.
As described, the conventional print data transmitting apparatus uses only one virtual connection when the host transmits the print data to the printer connected to the host through the network. Accordingly, the transmission speed is low if the print data is large.